Blessed Messiah and the Tower of Ai
by Kagomepriestress
Summary: You'll have to read and find out


disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters in this story.

please review and reply

In a dying world, only one village remained. The Village of Youth. The only survivors of the dying world were children, no older than 19. Before the death of their world,a prophecy was sent from the kingdom nearby. A messiah would gather a blessing and save the dying world.

The messiah would need only one of the nine blessings hidden within the Tower of Ai, the only thing keeping the world alive for so blessing of Blooming Wave, Fire Banquet, Grace of Sunlight, Peaceful Darkness, Trembling Ground, Rumble of Thunder, Rondo of Wind, Garden of Silver Snow, or Fetal Movement of Magma. With one of them, she'd save the dying world.

The Messiah was discovered to be a young shrine keeper/ priestess named Kagome. As she set out on her journey to the Temple of AI, she was stopped by her friends.

"In sickness and health, we share each other's joy and pain. We're not letting you go alone." A swordswoman named Sango said to her, releasing Kagome's arm.

"She's right you know. It's far too dangerous on your own. We'll stuck with you till the end." Sango's brother, Kohaku, adds.

"You guys are so nice but you mustn't come. It's my mission and I don't want to get you all involved." Kagome replied, a look of worry on her face.

"I know you're worried about us Kagome but this is something we must do." a half dog demon by the name of Inuyasha implied.

"He's right, we vowed we'd protect each other no matter what was to come." a woman by his side named Kikyo added in his defense.

That is why we need to come!" Kikyo's sister by the name of Kaede said.

"I feel I'll be protected going in the tower as the chosen Messiah." kagome said.

"And how does that relate to us?" a wolf demon named Koga asked.

"I don't know, I just thought that you guys may get hurt or possibly be killed by following me." She said

"Don't worry about us Kagome, we can fend for ourselves and we want to make sure you succeed!" A monk by the name of Miroku stated cheerfully.

I just don't want ten of us to go in and have less than that return. I care for you guys and I don't feel like you guys should come." Kagome said quietly, looking down to the side.

"Don't look so sad Kagome, we'll make it out. An female wolf demon named Ayame said smiling.

"I guess there's no talking you guys out of it. I guess you can come." Kagome sighed defeated.

"Great! Then let's move out! Come on guys! To the tower!" a young fox demon named shippo, Shouted excitedly.

"Ok, let's go." Kagome said, still with a hint of worry in her voice.

After quite a long time walking, climbing, and swimming, they eventually reach the sacred tower of AI. They slower approach the door.

Kagome then hesitates to open it. _What should I do. If I let them in, I may lose them forever._

"What's taking so long Kagome? Open the door already!" Inuyasha stated impatiently.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll open it." She replied, opening the door with a push. It screeched and they slowly advanced into the tower.

After a little bit of trekking, they reach the first blessing. The blessing of Blooming Wave. Relieved that it was almost over she stepped into the chamber. Kohaku followed her in, making sure to defend her if there was a hidden trap.

They both stood atop the podium of which the blessing was kept. They stared at the beauty of the blessing's flame. Then Kagome slowly reached out to grab it.

Kohaku put his hand on her's. He smiled at her then grabbed her hand. Then he spoke to her. " We share joy and pain!" with him saying this, his smile turned into a smirk and he pushed her out of the chamber. Collecting the blessing for himself.

Kagome sat there on the ground, staring at the now closed door of the chamber. Shocked that kohaku had just betrayed her. He knew she needed that blessing to save the world, how could he be so selfish!

Inuyasha ran over to her. Making sure she was ok. "Don't worry Kagome, there's still 8 blessings left. We won't betray you, there's no need to worry. Let's go find the next chamber."

Inuyasha's words and smile reassured the young Messiah and she started pursuit of the next blessing.

It took a little while but they arrived at the second blessing. The blessing of Fire Banquet. This time, no one followed her in. This gave her a sense of hope. _I guess it was just Kohaku who turned on me._ She thought to herself, smiling.

She stepped on top of the podium and reached out for the flame. But then she was knocked back by Sango. She reached out for the blessing and looked back at Kagome with an evil smile, just as the door closed behind her.

Kagome got up and shrugged it off and continued searching for another blessing. Hoping this wouldn't be a continuous thing. _At least Inuyasha won't betray me. He's so focused on protecting me and saving the world, he'd never give in to greed._

As they reached the chamber that held the third blessing of Grace of Sunlight, Kikyo ran ahead pushing both Kagome and Inuyasha out of the was laughing to herself as the door closed.

In anger, her sister Kaede ran ahead in search of her own blessing. She quickly stumbled upon the blessing of Peaceful Darkness. Taking the fourth blessing away from Kagome.

"I don't get it. They know I need one to save the world, why are they taking them away from me. How can they become overcome by greed at a time like this!" Kagome said bewildered.

"I don't know, it's as if the blessings themselves are causing the greed, like they want to do anything to keep you away from them." Inuyasha said, walking up beside Kagome, staring at the closed door to the chamber of Peaceful Darkness.

"Oh well, forget about it. There's still 5 blessings left, let's keep moving." Kagome said, turning around and heading toward the nearby stairwell.

At the top of the staircase, was the fifth chamber, holding the blessing of Trembling Ground. Staring at the remaining group of friends, they all smile at her and she continues. Only to be stopped by Miroku, who reached out and took the blessing for himself.

_Yet another blessing gone, surely they won't all betray me_

Heading for the sixth blessing, Shippo ran ahead and stole the blessing of Rumble of Thunder. Quickly following him,Koga stolen the seventh blessing of Rondo of Wind.

With only two blessings left, she really hoped Ayame and Inuyasha wouldn't betray her as well.

The moment of truth finally arrived. They stood outside the eighth chamber which held the blessing of Garden of Silver Snow. To Kagome's horror, Ayame ran in and grabbed the blessing, tears of joy freezing on her face.

Leaving only one blessing left, she looked cautiously at Inuyasha, her only remaining friend. He shot her a reassuring smirk as they headed for the final blessing, the Fetal Movement of Magma.

They walked together toward the podium. Kagome looked at Inuyasha one last time to make sure he'd let her grab it. But as she look away from the blessing, he too pushed her out of the way, taking the final blessing for himself. The only difference was, he didn't have the same evil face the rest of her friends did, his smile seemed almost caring.

As the door closed between him and Kagome, he bid her goodbye. Nothing but kindness in his voice. This shocked Kagome. How can he so friendly with her after betraying both her and the rest of the world.

After her short burst of rage, it quickly turned into sadness. She was betrayed by all her friends and now the world was going to die, all because of their selfishness and greed. She knew it was a bad idea to let them come along, if she hadn't given in to their requests, she never would've failed her mission to save the world.

Staring at the flameless torch, she slowing stepped up the last staircase to the altar at the top of the tower. As she arrived, she saw a tablet engraved with the words _good work Messiah, you passed all nine trials. You may now proceed and place the torch in the hands of the statue without a candle and revive this dying world._

As she walked to the statue without a candle, she noticed ten smaller tablets. Each tablet contained one of her nine friends handwriting. She read through each one.

The first one she recognized to be Kohaku's writing. It read _Even though drowning in a rough sea…_

She looked to the next tablet which she recognized as Sango's _Dancing in the hellfire..._

The one following was Kikyo's _Helplessly falling on my knees in a merciless drought..._

Then Kaede's _Being trapped in the darkness forever and losing my mind..._

Followed by Miroku's _Being swallowed by the earth... _

Then Shippo's wrote _Being stricken by lightning endlessly forevermore..._

Koga added _Being torn up by a hurricane..._

Ayame then wrote _Being frozen to the bone, to the soul..._

And finally Inuyasha wrote _Crawling through the fire..._

Then Kagome looked at the tenth one. It was written in handwriting she did not recognize but it was signed by all her friends at the bottom. The message on it read _We won't let you go by yourself._

Kagome suddenly broke down, realizing her friends never betrayed her out of selfishness and greed, but out of love and sense of duty. They sacrificed themselves so she could reach the true blessing.

Eyes full of tears, she stood up and placed the torch in the hands of the statue. Suddenly a bright flash filled the Messiah's vision, blinding her momentarily. When she had regained her sight, the world had turned from a dirty, barren land to a land filled with green and life. She had succeeded, she had brought the world back from the dead.

She started the long journey home, still filled with guilt over the suffering she caused her friends. But that guilt was short-lived. It was quickly changed to excitement and relief. For waiting for her in the Village of Youth were her 9 friends. It seemed that once she revived the world, it also revived her fallen friends.

After a happy reunion, the tale of the Blessed Messiah and the Tower of AI had come to an end.


End file.
